Natural breastfeeding is widely accepted as the best way to nurture an infant. However, breastfeeding is not always possible for working mothers and other women who are not able to be present with infants at every feeding. In preparation for those moments, it is advantageous for breast milk to be expressed and stored for future consumption by the infant. Expression of breast milk with a pump has been a widely accepted practice for many years. Breast pumps range from simple hand operated models that pump one breast at a time to a wide selection of electric models now in use, most of which simultaneously pump both breasts. These pumps typically include: a funnel-shaped cup (called “a breast shield”, which fits over the nipple and a substantial portion of the breast), a pump that generates an intermittent vacuum in the breast shield, and a container for the expressed breast milk. The intermittent suction generated by the pump within the breast shield causes a pulling or pressing of the breast, which is intended to mimic an infant's suckling action, thereby expressing milk.
Throughout history, articles of clothing have been adapted to simplify the task of nursing. Nursing attire (e.g. nursing bras, nursing shirts, nursing dresses, and nursing nightwear) contain flaps that can be unfolded to expose a portion of a breast. When using a breast pump, a woman must manually hold the breast shield on the exposed portion of the breast. Due to the length of time required to express milk when using the pump, women oftentimes pump both breasts simultaneously. The work intensive nature of pumping prevents women from performing other tasks for which their hands may be required. This problem could be greatly alleviated through the use of devices that pump breast milk in a “hands-free” manner, thereby freeing a woman's hands to perform other tasks while breast milk is being expressed. Clothing items have not yet fully remedied this task of “hands-free” breast pumping.
While there are a few “hands-free breast pumping bras” in existence, women are still challenged because these bras tend to be: uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time, unflattering to breasts underneath of clothes, and expensive in cost. These “hands-free breast pumping bras” also tend to limit a woman's ability to quickly switch back to breastfeeding if her infant demands, because the bra first needs to be removed completely before breastfeeding can begin. Finally, many of these bras and accompanying support devices prevent translational motion of the breast shield, thus preventing women from performing “hands-on pumping”.
“Hands-on pumping” has become a proven technique (published as a ground-breaking study in the Journal of Perinatology by Jane Morton, et.al. in 2009) to express high levels of fat-rich, calorie-dense milk. This technique is accomplished when a woman stimulates breast tissue by massaging her breasts while pumping. Repositioning nipples and massaging breasts, while expressing milk, also has been proven to yield higher quantities of milk as the breast pump gains better access to different milk ducts. Yet, many factors make “hands-on pumping” a difficult feat. For example, while pumping, a woman can be prevented from positioning (and repositioning) her nipple at different angles if her hands are needed to hold the breast pump. Further, her “hands-free breast pumping bra” could cover too much of breast tissue, or thwart the translational motion of a breast shield.
Therefore, it is advantageous to develop a method and an apparatus that empowers a woman to wear any bra of her choice for any length of time, while having options on how to best nurse her infant. Whether she desires breastfeeding, “hands-free” breast pumping, or “hands-on pumping”.